I feel the need to state before this post that the word talent is used very loosely. It is extremely subjective as to whether there is any real talent involved, but moreso the ambition or will to do something.
I think going without a kitchen and the ability to cook for three months, has brought out my inner Betty Crocker. I have never enjoyed more in my life, baking and cooking. And experimenting! Part of it, I think, is having the time. Ok, probably most of it. Baking is expecially satisfying to me. And John is benefiting from that as well as all the workers and our guardians. There are things you can't buy here as far as ingredients, but that just makes things all the more challenging. For the most part, there is a good substitute. The first time I made something with sour cream, I am 99% sure it wasn't sour cream I used. But, it turned out great!
John is also working on his talents. Of course, they were always there as well, but he just never had the time to use them. He has been working on installing light fixtures for me. Now, this may not sound difficult to the average person, but you have to remember, the ceilings here are made of cement. So this involves chipping out a space for the designated light fixture. And it is not easy! What would normally been done in a couple hours has taken a couple days. But, we really did want to experience the Ecuadorian life so here it is!
We are sincerely enjoying the beautiful weather here. It really couldn't be any nicer, with the gentle ocean breeze coming off the ocean most all the time. Which brings me to this morning, where the breeze for some reason, decided to stop. Completely. While I was in the kitchen preparing to make my next project, I noticed I was sweating. A lot. So, as I grabbed my sweat towel, I was inspired by a bit of self-written poetry. Now is the time I will refer back to the first paragraph of this blog post. So, I am going to put myself and my "talents" out there and share the little ditty that came to me;
The breeze has ceased,
I am on my knees,
With sweat between my breests,
Saying please, please, please,
I need a breeze!
I, personally thought it was very good, my first shot at poetry. John, not so much. Boy, he is a tough critic!
We really don't have much to complain about as far as weather. Seriously. I think averaged year round, it is probably the best. That is if you don't like snow and cold. Which is us. We are plugging along with our construction. Crossing our fingers and hoping for a Grand Opening towards the end of April. The swimming pool construction started today and we are told it will take a month. But we have to remember, the Ecuadorian interpretation of time and ours is quite different. So we will not hold our breath and just be happy when it is finished.
Annabel has turned into quite the guard dog for us. She alerts us when someone she doesn't know is in the front of the house, which is great. Now we just have to find her "off" button. She is a really good dog with great instincts. Josie doesn't seem to interested in protecting the casa, but she does follow Annabel's lead once she starts.
The breeze is starting back up, so it is time to head back to the kitchen. Enjoy the day!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
Carnaval Week and Upcoming Election
This past weekend was Carnaval here in Ecuador. Thousands of people descended upon the coast to spend time and party at the beach. We were rather lucky here in Punta Carnero, as our beach only was mildly busy compared to the beach in Salinas. It did, however, take on a life of its own of a rather intriguing excitement. We had planned to just stay at our house during this four day celebration which started on Saturday and went until Tuesday. On Saturday, the fun and festive atmosphere lured us to take a walk on the beach to see what it was all about. We were not at all disappointed. The families, friends, children and pets were all having a wonderful time on the beach. There were vendors selling ice cream, slushies, coconut milk, beer, soda, hats, sunglasses, movies... you name it. On Tuesday, the last day of the celebration, our friends James and Cecilia came out from Salinas to enjoy our much quieter and wavier beach. We had a blast playing in the waves. Plus we enjoyed a few cervezas sitting on the beach after our swim. It doesn't get too much better than that. It was, in a way, sad when it was all over, although we certainly enjoy our quiet beach again, which is why we chose the Punta Carnero area.
Yesterday was Valentine's Day here as well. It is very much celebrated with many mylar heart balloons and Valentine's Day gifts for your sweetheart being sold on the street (just like Phoenix : ) John and I chose to celebrate by going to a movie in the afternoon. We saw Lincoln (which wasn't exactly a romantic movie) and it was very good. Hollywood is good when they have you on the edge of your seat to see if the 13th Amendment was going to be passed. Geez!!
When we left the movie theater and went over to our corner to wait for the bus, a huge parade of el Presidente Rafael Correa supporters went by. It was rather exciting. There was loud music playing and people yelling and flags flying and loudspeakers speaking. It seemed to go on forever! The reason for this exciting demonstration of political support is that the election is on Sunday, February 17. Sunday, now that is a novel idea for an election day. Not so many people have to take off from work to go vote, which is good, because here it is highly suggested you vote if you are a citizen or resident with a cedula. You can face a fine if you don't vote. From what we have heard, Correa is a heavy favorite and there isn't any real competition for him. There are several others running against him, though. Interesting fact; there is an alcohol ban from yesterday through election day here. No alcohol to be consumed or served during this time. Keeps everyone with a clear head, I guess.
Our construction is moving along. It is just about time to think about getting the pool started in the back yard. There are still many details to finish in the house, along with the larger project of the beach bungalow room being torn apart (wood ceiling and wood wall being removed and replaced with termite proof cement). Looking forward to a grand opening hopefully by the end of April to early May!
Yesterday was Valentine's Day here as well. It is very much celebrated with many mylar heart balloons and Valentine's Day gifts for your sweetheart being sold on the street (just like Phoenix : ) John and I chose to celebrate by going to a movie in the afternoon. We saw Lincoln (which wasn't exactly a romantic movie) and it was very good. Hollywood is good when they have you on the edge of your seat to see if the 13th Amendment was going to be passed. Geez!!
When we left the movie theater and went over to our corner to wait for the bus, a huge parade of el Presidente Rafael Correa supporters went by. It was rather exciting. There was loud music playing and people yelling and flags flying and loudspeakers speaking. It seemed to go on forever! The reason for this exciting demonstration of political support is that the election is on Sunday, February 17. Sunday, now that is a novel idea for an election day. Not so many people have to take off from work to go vote, which is good, because here it is highly suggested you vote if you are a citizen or resident with a cedula. You can face a fine if you don't vote. From what we have heard, Correa is a heavy favorite and there isn't any real competition for him. There are several others running against him, though. Interesting fact; there is an alcohol ban from yesterday through election day here. No alcohol to be consumed or served during this time. Keeps everyone with a clear head, I guess.
Our construction is moving along. It is just about time to think about getting the pool started in the back yard. There are still many details to finish in the house, along with the larger project of the beach bungalow room being torn apart (wood ceiling and wood wall being removed and replaced with termite proof cement). Looking forward to a grand opening hopefully by the end of April to early May!
Friday, February 8, 2013
Adjusting to Life by the Sea
First of all, I would like to apologize for the length of time in between postings. I don't really have a good excuse, just that time has gotten away from me. To just say I have been busy is a cop out because there is always time if you make it. But, anyway, here I am again.
We love living by the ocean. As in any place you live, you have to take the good with the bad. And as long as the good makes all the bad worth it, it is fine, which is defnitely the case here. There are many things we didn't realize about living in salt air. The main thing being that anything metal or I guess I could say any metal that is not stainless steel, galvanized or aluminum can and will rust. And quickly! When we first got here we had put a metal lock on the front doors to make it more secure. By the time we took it off to put up the new aluminum doors, it had completely rusted and corroded. Plastic is our friend, too, as is WD-40. That rubbed on our metal dresser handles and such helps prevent the oxidation process. In the evening we can see the salt in the air blowing off the ocean under the street light.
We have replaced all of our wood windows and doors with white aluminum. Not only does it look better, but the maintenance goes down to practically nothing compared to the wood. We are very excited with the transformation of the house so far. The reason I haven't posted any pictures is because nothing is completely done. We have figured it is the Ecuadorian way to finish things 80-90% and then move on to the next project. It has been a frustration of ours, but we know eventually it will all get done.
All the plants, flowers and trees we planted are thriving. I have some beautiful bougainvillea, roses, begonias, hibiscus and other plants I don't know the English names for. Things grow like crazy here, so I am excited to see my flower bed mature. Unfortunately, Annabel and Josie love the flower bed, too. That is, racing through it at high speeds. Also picking out clumps of who knows what it eat out of it. I think that is how they got sick recently. They both had a bacterial infection which caused much vomiting and diarrhea. Thank goodness to an excellent vet who knew just what to do to make them better (and was kind enough to let me bring Annabel to her house at 11:30 at night to start treatment). She also makes house calls during the day, so that worked out great when Josie became ill the next day. If you are thinking it is expensive to have a vet come to your house, our vet charges $20 per dog. It is a wonderful convenience for us since we don't have a car and beats taking the dogs in a taxi. Thanks to my friend Carlota, who brought a taxi to us the night Annabel was sick so we could get her to the vet.
We continue to work on all the details of getting the house ready. We have installed a perimeter laser alarm and a home alarm for our safety and the safety of our guests. This is a third world country and as in any area like this, you must protect your home. I guess that goes for anywhere, though, because Phoenix wasn't exactly crime free : ). A huge thanks to our friend, Matt Klein for taking the time to fly down here for us and helping us out with some electronic things. His assistance was absolutely priceless. Plus we got to have some fun as well. Hopefully within a couple weeks we can think about starting to install the pool in the back yard. We have been waiting for the aluminum guy to be finished with the doors and windows as they have been constructing them onsite in our back yard. It will be wonderful to not have any dust and dirt flying around from construction. The kitchen is functional and almost done (yeah, the 90% there). It has been wonderful to be able to cook and bake again. The construction workers have reaped the benefit of my baking hobby.
It is time for Carnival in Ecuador. The next four days will be absolute craziness from what I here. We were told we probably won't be able to leave our house because of the amount of people around. We have planned for it like a snowstorm, stocking up on food and anything else we might need for the next few days. It will be fun and exciting to see (from the balcony of our house). Next Wednesday we will get to celebrate our guardians' son Kevin's 7th birthday. He has chosen to celebrate here (and invite the rest of their family as well) so that John and I can be there. I can't tell you how honored that makes us feel. He has a special place in our heart already : ).
I promise to be more diligent on my postings. Hopefully some projects will be completed soon and we will have many pictures to post.
We love living by the ocean. As in any place you live, you have to take the good with the bad. And as long as the good makes all the bad worth it, it is fine, which is defnitely the case here. There are many things we didn't realize about living in salt air. The main thing being that anything metal or I guess I could say any metal that is not stainless steel, galvanized or aluminum can and will rust. And quickly! When we first got here we had put a metal lock on the front doors to make it more secure. By the time we took it off to put up the new aluminum doors, it had completely rusted and corroded. Plastic is our friend, too, as is WD-40. That rubbed on our metal dresser handles and such helps prevent the oxidation process. In the evening we can see the salt in the air blowing off the ocean under the street light.
We have replaced all of our wood windows and doors with white aluminum. Not only does it look better, but the maintenance goes down to practically nothing compared to the wood. We are very excited with the transformation of the house so far. The reason I haven't posted any pictures is because nothing is completely done. We have figured it is the Ecuadorian way to finish things 80-90% and then move on to the next project. It has been a frustration of ours, but we know eventually it will all get done.
All the plants, flowers and trees we planted are thriving. I have some beautiful bougainvillea, roses, begonias, hibiscus and other plants I don't know the English names for. Things grow like crazy here, so I am excited to see my flower bed mature. Unfortunately, Annabel and Josie love the flower bed, too. That is, racing through it at high speeds. Also picking out clumps of who knows what it eat out of it. I think that is how they got sick recently. They both had a bacterial infection which caused much vomiting and diarrhea. Thank goodness to an excellent vet who knew just what to do to make them better (and was kind enough to let me bring Annabel to her house at 11:30 at night to start treatment). She also makes house calls during the day, so that worked out great when Josie became ill the next day. If you are thinking it is expensive to have a vet come to your house, our vet charges $20 per dog. It is a wonderful convenience for us since we don't have a car and beats taking the dogs in a taxi. Thanks to my friend Carlota, who brought a taxi to us the night Annabel was sick so we could get her to the vet.
We continue to work on all the details of getting the house ready. We have installed a perimeter laser alarm and a home alarm for our safety and the safety of our guests. This is a third world country and as in any area like this, you must protect your home. I guess that goes for anywhere, though, because Phoenix wasn't exactly crime free : ). A huge thanks to our friend, Matt Klein for taking the time to fly down here for us and helping us out with some electronic things. His assistance was absolutely priceless. Plus we got to have some fun as well. Hopefully within a couple weeks we can think about starting to install the pool in the back yard. We have been waiting for the aluminum guy to be finished with the doors and windows as they have been constructing them onsite in our back yard. It will be wonderful to not have any dust and dirt flying around from construction. The kitchen is functional and almost done (yeah, the 90% there). It has been wonderful to be able to cook and bake again. The construction workers have reaped the benefit of my baking hobby.
It is time for Carnival in Ecuador. The next four days will be absolute craziness from what I here. We were told we probably won't be able to leave our house because of the amount of people around. We have planned for it like a snowstorm, stocking up on food and anything else we might need for the next few days. It will be fun and exciting to see (from the balcony of our house). Next Wednesday we will get to celebrate our guardians' son Kevin's 7th birthday. He has chosen to celebrate here (and invite the rest of their family as well) so that John and I can be there. I can't tell you how honored that makes us feel. He has a special place in our heart already : ).
I promise to be more diligent on my postings. Hopefully some projects will be completed soon and we will have many pictures to post.
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